


The Case of Bucky's Wisdom Teeth

by Metalbvcky



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Panic Attacks, Bucky Barnes Has a Fear of Dentists, Bucky Barnes Plums, Bucky high on drugs equals love potion, Canon-Typical Violence (mentioned), Comfort, Dentistry, Dentists, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Marriage, POV Bucky Barnes, Panic Attacks, Protective Steve Rogers, Vomiting (mentioned), Wisdom Teeth, whichever timeline you choose everyone is alive and happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24966115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metalbvcky/pseuds/Metalbvcky
Summary: Steve walked across the room to grab Bucky some water from the sink. The sight had Bucky over the moon.Bucky’s eyes widened. “Oh— Oh my god.” He stared at Steve’s ass. Tight skinny jeans highlighted every curve. It was a breathtaking sight.Steve quickly spun back around. “What’s wrong, Bucky?” Some of the water he had filled into a cup, spilled onto the floor.“I get to take that home with me,” Bucky said in a low voice.Steve blushed like he hadn’t since 1944.---Bucky starts having teeth pain but he doesn't tell Steve because he's afraid as hell of the dentist. His flashbacks to Hydra doesn't help his anxiety at all.AKA the 'Bucky getting his wisdom teeth out as Steve comforts him the whole way through' fic!
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 42
Kudos: 264





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ITS FINALLY HERE! My nearly 10k Bucky gets his wisdom teeth out fic. This started as a short 500 word drabble of loopy!bucky but it turned into the whole journey. There aren’t many stories like this out there so I decided to do it myself. 
> 
> Bucky high on drugs = 100x more in love with Steve. 
> 
> I'm adding an epilogue to go with this! So look out for that in the coming week or two :) I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it!

Bucky cursed himself for never telling Steve when everything started. Even if he had spilled his guts, it wouldn't change the unfortunate reality of the situation. But he damn well wouldn’t be where he was at now. Stubbornness and anxiety overtook him instead. 

A month prior, he sensed a slight pressure in the back of his mouth. Stubborn as ever, he continued without care or thought. Besides, it happened during a mission. Who wouldn’t brush it off after a whole day's worth of fighting aliens? They were the Avengers. Everyone gets banged and bruised from time to time. Fighting against terrorists, robots, and space creatures were part of the job. An occasional small concussion wasn't something to fuss about. Surely something mission related had to be the reason. 

It hadn’t been the case at all. 

The pain continued to linger day by day. Sometimes it throbbed like hell, the next it was gone in a bliss. A former Hydra assassin like himself could handle it. Compared to seventy years of brainwashing, it was like a walk in the park. Manageable pain, easy. Just be mindful when eating. No big deal. 

Until it did become a big deal and he decided to ignore it. Again. 

Tuesday afternoon, he and Steve sat on either side of the large sectional sofa in their living room. Bucky’s feet dangled off the edge as he munched on some ‘Cool Ranch’ Doritos. It was one of those large family-sized bags. The twenty-first century had its perks when it came to snack food. 

Halfway through the bag, his brain registered the all too familiar throbbing sensation. Jaw clenched, both hands gripped the plastic bag and he groaned out a soft curse. He groaned so loud enough to pull Steve’s attention away from his drawing.

Steve had asked, “everything okay, Buck?” 

“Peachy,” Bucky lied. 

He was far from okay. It had gotten _worse_. 

Yet he found himself and Steve going out to dinner with Sam that evening. 

“You’ve got to try this queso dip, man,” Sam exclaimed, pushing a small bowl of white cheese sauce and a basket of chips towards Bucky. 

If Doritos are crunchy, so are tortilla chips. 

Pushing that shivering thought out of the way, Bucky took another bite of rice from his plate. Deciding to play it safe, he ordered a couple of soft tacos with a side of rice. They were delicious and not crunchy at all. 

“Nah, I think I’m good,” he replied, taking a sip of his drink. 

Steve scoffed, reaching for a chip to dip into the cheese. “You, passing up on chips this time?” Steve said, biting into the tortilla chip. “It's like I don’t even know you.” 

“Since when do you ever eat light?” Sam asked Bucky, glancing at his small plate of food. 

_When never ending mouth pain started a month ago_ , Bucky thought to himself. 

“Started eating snacks between meals,” Bucky lied to himself, Sam, and Steve. Well, it was a half lie considering he wasn’t able to eat as much, given his current predicament. 

Steve laughed. “Yeah, that explains all the snacks in the pantry.”

And that was _before_ he started having mouth pain. The jumbo pack of Cheez-Its they bought from Costco would go stale soon. They were the white cheddar flavor too. Those were the best variety of them all. 

“I like to eat in smaller portions and savor it, Rogers,” Bucky looked over to Steve who sat next to him in the booth. “Unlike you, who can practically eat a grand meal in one sitting.” 

It was true. They had gone to a fundraiser gala and Steve nearly ate the entire platter of mini hot dogs. Afterward, dessert platters came out and Bucky had to pull Steve away from eating the whole damn thing of cheesecake bars.

“Hey it's not my fault the serum came with a couple of downsides,” Steve argued. 

Bucky scoffed. “You don’t see me eating an entire platter of food, Steve.” 

Sam barked out a laugh. “You super soldiers and your damn high metabolism.” 

Thankfully, the background noise of the busy restaurant mixed with Sam and Steve’s conversation was enough to distract him from the building pain. Speaking of pain, he noticed it started happening almost all the time now. Whether he ate or not.

He’d tell Steve about it later tonight.

That very second, his brain decided to give him the mental picture of the dreaded leather dental chair, tools, and all spread around it. 

He’d tell Steve one of these days. 

A couple of weeks went by since the dinner with Sam and procrastination was Bucky’s middle name. It gained him no favor at all. He had been so hesitant to admit his problem, it ate him alive. An irking suspicion in his gut told him Steve might be caught up. Fear overtook and it got the best of him. 

### ♡♡♡

Of course, Steve decided on a day the pain was driving him up a wall to cook his favorite comfort meal; plum pancakes. Bucky loved plums so much he could cry. His favorites were jelly, toast, muffins, pies, and being slow-roasted in the oven. Added to pancakes? He loved them even more. They were _divine_ , he had never been able to resist. Pancakes were one of the few things Steve could make extraordinarily well. 

They sat at the kitchen’s island bar side by side. Stacked on Bucky’s plate were four thick and fluffy plum pancakes, topped with a slab of butter. Syrup coated the center and sides, oozing down onto the plate. Steve had chosen to plate himself a couple more than his.

Mister, ' _I will eat an entire platter of mini hot dogs’_ Rogers. 

He stabbed a small piece with his fork and chewed slowly, mindful of his aching teeth. Pancakes may be soft but the back of his mouth said otherwise. Not even two bites in and he already was reeling back. They were so delicious but his mouth protested every step of the way. 

The pressure against his gums was too much. Bucky squeezed his eyes shut and dropped his fork, whining out in pain as it clattered against the ceramic plate. He immediately brought both hands up to clutch his cheeks.

Whoops, his cover was definitely blown now. 

Steve froze, eyes wide with sympathy as he watched Bucky slouch in his chair, evidence clear as day. “How long has this been going on?” 

Bucky mumbled under his breath. Head bowed, his long hair draped over his face. Eyes focused on his now abandoned plate of pancakes. He refused to look ats husband in the eye. Shame and regret flooded him. Damn his fears. 

“What’s that?” Steve asked again, leaning closer. 

“I said.” Plates of his metal arm shifted, making a whirring sound. “About a month or so.” 

“Oh, Bucky…” Steve said softly, placing a hand on Bucky’s back. “I think it's time to see someone about this.” 

“I’ve lived with worse,” Bucky sighed. “I’ll be fine, Steve.” He snatched his glass of water and sipped. 

“Aw Buck, no— I’m sorry, I should have noticed sooner.” Steve began to rub soothing circles on Bucky’s back. “Once I put the pieces together I wasn’t certain. I should have asked. Nearly a week was hard for me, I can’t imagine what you’ve been putting yourself through.” 

“No, I should have told you from the start.” Bucky leaned into Steve's touch, sighing with a frown. 

“You don’t have to endure pain because you’ve suffered in the past,” Steve continued. “We’re in this together and I want to take that pain away from you.” 

Water drained, Bucky slammed it back down on the counter. Condensation dripped down the glass, he fixed his gaze on it. Thoughts of a modern establishment with similar equipment Hydra used frightened the hell out of him. Flashbacks to straps wrapped around his body, pinpricks of needles, the gut-wrenching stench of the room. Echo of his own screams, too many hands on his body, manhandling him like a doll. Rubbery taste and texture of the damn bite guard. 

And god the chair. A clear image of the chair, coupled with wires burned in his brain. It screamed _'Get me out of here right fucking now.’_

“Don’t— don’t make me go, Stevie,” Bucky whispered in a stammer. His whole body shivered like a leaf, staring up at his husband with pleading eyes. “Please.” 

“Ssh, I know it's scary.” Steve cupped Bucky’s face gently in his hands, thumb brushing against his cheekbone. “Facing your fears is hard. I’d know, the first time on a plane after crashing the Valkyrie terrified me. But I crossed that bridge and I’m able now. There will be rough days of course, but no one expects you to be perfect.” 

A prickle of tears welled up in the corner of his eyes. Damn you Steve and your motivational speeches.

“Hear me out when I say I’m asking you to go. I’d never make you do something you weren’t comfortable with,” Steve said, pressing a soft kiss to Bucky’s forehead. 

Bucky sighed at the gentle brush of Steve’s lips. “I know, but I really, really don’t want to.” 

Steve dropped his hands and pulled Bucky closer to his chest. "You know I hate watching you suffer when there's a solution." 

Bucky rested his head on Steve’s shoulder and sighed. “All I can think about is having to sit in that damn chair.” 

“I’ll be right by your side the whole way through,” Steve said, returning to rub Bucky’s back. 

“You will?” 

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else, Buck.” 

“Fine, I’ll see someone about it,” Bucky grumbled. 

Steve gave Bucky a reassuring pat. “Thank you, I’m proud of you for considering.” 

Bucky lifted himself off Steve. “Do you know of anyone that takes ex-assassins with PTSD?” 

“I’ll call Sam later today.” Steve returned to his dinner. “He’ll know of a place that specializes with anxiety patients.” 

“Okay but, I never said I’d be comfortable with it.” Bucky got up to rummage around the refrigerator to pull out a cup of yogurt. 

“We’ll deal with it together, figure out what’s going on and go from there,” Steve said. 

Before bed that night, Steve called Sam for a recommendation. Steve thought he was subtle enough for Bucky to not hear anything from the bathroom. He overheard parts of the conversation. 

“Sorry for springing this on you so late,” Steve had said. “They’ve been killing him, I didn’t even know until recently,” he sighed. “Yeah.” 

“Thank you, Sam,” he paused. “Yeah, text me those addresses and numbers. I’ll talk with you later.” 

Bucky stared straight at the door when Steve walked out. 

“Hey— oh.” Steve stopped in the doorway. “Sorry, did you hear that?”

Bucky nodded. “Mmhm, not everything but it's fine,” he said, sinking further into the mattress. 

The bed dipped as Steve climbed in on his side. “What would you do without Wilson? You’d be lost in the twenty-first century if not for him,” Bucky said. 

Steve snuggled up closer, his chest to Bucky’s back. “Hey, give me some credit. I knew some stuff when I woke from the ice.” 

Bucky gave out a loud snort. ”Steve, Nat told me you didn’t know how to work a standard coffee pot in your first apartment.“ 

“Yet, you know how to operate one of those fancy machines,” Steve said, nuzzling into Bucky’s neck. 

Bucky craned his head back to look at Steve. “It's called an espresso machine.” 

“Alright then,” Steve chuckled, brushing a quick kiss below Bucky’s ear. “Goodnight, Buck.”

“Night, Stevie.” 

### ♡♡♡ 

They went to the office for the first time two days later. Sam had recommended a dentistry that does general and surgical care. It didn’t even look like an ordinary dentist’s office. Warm looking furniture decorated the waiting room. The chairs were a mixed cream and brown with white and blue patterned pillows to go with them. Walls were coated dark gray, almost a muted blue. Framed paintings of sunsets with cats hung around the walls. 

The whole place had a homey vibe to it. It reminded Bucky of his therapist’s office. Warm colors around the room eased him down a bit. So much better than standard white walls he’d originally thought of. 

When it was time to go back, they took him to a small private exam room. It too was bright and inviting, with beige coated walls with gray wood linoleum flooring. A desk with a computer sat in the corner, TV hung on the wall above it. Behind the dreaded chair was a counter with a sink. Off to the left side of the room were a couple of guest chairs. The large leather exam chair was a pale cream. There were no tools in sight. Bucky was grateful for that. 

Everything about the office was so much nicer than he pictured. Bucky was going to send Sam a fruit basket or something as thanks for discovering this place. 

The first thing they did was x-rays in another room. They let Bucky stand for the whole procedure. Steve stood guard right out in the hall. Bucky felt claustrophobic in the round machine they used but staring at his husband made it a lot easier. 

Back in the room, his anxiety threatened to kick up in gear. The thick padding of the chair felt soft, it had a nice feel to it. They hadn’t even reached the worst parts and already his expectations were exceeded. 

The specialist they were seeing arrived shortly. Steve stood up to greet the woman, they exchanged words and shook hands. Oh god, they were starting soon. 

Bucky bit his tongue and gave a small smile to the woman. Better get this over with. Either now or never. 

Once they started, she let Bucky go at his own pace. The chair reclined only halfway so he could still see his feet. Steve stood to the right, offering his hand and Bucky took it, squeezing back occasionally. Most of the exam had gone smoothly until near the end. Although she was gentle, she hit a spot in the back that shook Bucky out of his skin. 

Bucky flat out screamed. Not out in pain particularly but mainly out in terror. One moment he was lying still in the chair, the next he was lunging forward into Steve’s arms. 

Steve caught Bucky once he was halfway out of the chair and wrapped both arms around him. “Hey, hey, shh. You’re okay, Buck,” he soothed, rubbing both hands up and down his back. 

“Steve,” Bucky's strained voice said, hiding his face in Steve’s chest. 

“It’s alright, you’re not back there anymore. You’re here with me,” Steve said softly in his ear. “I’m right here, baby.” 

The dentist cleared her throat, pulling Steve’s attention away from Bucky for a brief moment. She stood next to the computer, x-ray’s pulled up. 

“Two of his back molars are impacted, both need to be extracted,” she said to Steve and continued, “but I highly recommend the removal of all four.” 

Bucky choked out a sob at the word _extraction_. He full on sobbed. Reality hit him like a bag of bricks. Embarrassment was out the window. Fuck anyone who said differently, this was the hardest goddamn thing _he_ had to do in the last seventy years. Not the Winter Soldier, Bucky. 

Steve turned Bucky’s head so his cheek rested on his chest. He continued to rub his back in a soothing manner. “Buck, are you okay talking about this?” Bucky nodded, sniffing. 

Steve looked up at the dentist. “How would that work?” 

“We’d put him under general anesthesia and surgically remove them,” she explained. “I wouldn’t be doing the surgery but I’d refer you to one of our best oral surgeons.” 

This was far worse than he thought. He had to get his teeth cut out of his skull? Alarms went off in his head at the mere thought of it. 

“Oh god,” Bucky said, barely above a whisper. Steve rocked Bucky in his arms gently. Best husband ever. 

“Okay, would we have to come in for another exam before the surgery?” Steve asked. 

She stepped away from the computer. “No, just the surgery. I’ll have a receptionist schedule an appointment with the oral surgeon I mentioned,” she said. “You can check out and pick out a time whenever you’re ready.” 

Steve nodded. “Thank you so much, we both appreciate it.” 

“Of course, it was nice meeting you both,” she said before leaving the room. 

Bucky took a deep breath before speaking up. “I’m scared, Steve.” 

“Hey, I know.” Steve pulled Bucky up, looking him in the eyes. “But you did good today, it was very brave of you to try. Although the outcome isn’t what you or I were expecting, no one can fault you for being scared.” 

“Mmm, I’m not looking forward to it.” Bucky got off the chair. “Let’s get out of here before I have another breakdown.” 

The nice receptionist upfront told Bucky he wasn’t able to eat or drink anything after midnight. Like he could eat anything comfortably right now. An appointment was booked for tomorrow morning at seven. At least the wait wouldn't be a week or more. He’d never wake at the crack of dawn for nothing, especially getting teeth pulled from his jaw. Thank god Steve was a morning person.

Persistent fear in his gut hadn't vanished, it only increased. What he went through today felt like a walk in the park, breakdown or not. Tomorrow he would face chair once more. He hated that damn chair. Nothing about it could be compared to Hydra but he still loathed every part of it.

Everyone he met so far was kind and understanding but he still hated everything about the place. Oh god, he had a fear of dentists, doesn't he? He does. 

Using a multitude of drugs to put him under scared the hell out of him. He wouldn’t go far as to say it reminded him back in Cyro. But the alternative of being fully conscious the entire time while they pull his teeth out? 

Hell no. His Cryo flashbacks and fears be damned. 

Later in the day, Steve continuously described everything that would happen before surgery. Sometimes in too much detail. Had Steve done enough research? 

Tonight they finally got around to watch that Scooby-Doo film about zombies Parker had recommended weeks ago. Parker started a ‘top fifty animated films’ list for Steve and he somehow got roped into watching a few. Before he knew it, he’d gotten hooked and this became a weekly occurrence. 

They were right in the middle of it when Steve went straight into specific details about the procedure. They were right in the middle of an interesting part too. Scooby and the gang had just arrived at the haunted mansion. 

“They’ll prep you before you’re put under, give you the laughing gas through a nose mask and you’ll feel like you’re on a cloud,” Steve said. “And they’ll attach a clip to monitor your heart rate and will place an IV in your arm.” 

If they weren’t cuddled up together right now, Bucky would be tempted to leave. 

“God, Steve,” Bucky sighed. “Don’t say it like that.” 

Steve rested a hand on Bucky’s knee. “I’m sorry, Buck. I just want you to be prepared so you’ll know what’s to come, I don’t want you stressing over it.” 

On screen, Scooby and Shaggy ate extremely hot peppers, screaming followed after. 

Bucky rested his head on Steve's neck. “I don’t think this is something I can’t be worried about,” Bucky said quietly, staring at the screen. Scooby and Shaggy screamed again, the rest of the gang in tow. 

“I understand, but look on the bright side. You’ll feel so much better once they’re out,” Steve said. 

Bucky sighed. “Yeah, they’ve been putting me through more hell than I thought they were.”

“You’ll be okay, Buck,” Steve kissed the top of his head. “I’ll be right by your side the whole step of the way.” 

The Scooby gang were being chased by zombies when Bucky brought up a question that had been plaguing his mind. “What if the drugs don’t work on me?” 

Steve pulled Bucky closer to his chest, chin slotting on Bucky’s shoulder. “Dentistry and twenty-first-century medicine have come a long way since the forties, they even work on me.” 

Bucky looked up at Steve. “They do?”

Steve nodded. “Mmhm, I had to get a tooth fixed after the battle of New York.” 

“Oh,” Bucky said, relaxing into Steve. “That makes me feel a little better.” 

### ♡♡♡

Bucky decided to go for comfort. Post-surgery made you feel awful so what was the point of dressing up? He wore gray sweatpants and a large purple hoodie. Hair pulled up neatly in a short bun, lower strands dangling to frame his face. 

They were stuck waiting for twenty minutes and Bucky bounced his leg the whole time. Who knew the reason why they were taking so long but Bucky was getting restless by the second. 

So restless, a pang of nausea seeped up. 

Panic built since morning but came crashing down all at once. Like a giant tidal wave washing over him. 

The next thing he knew, he was bolting out of the chair, sprinting towards the restroom. A voice called after him but he didn’t turn back. Breaths came out in short gasps as he kept walking. Legs that felt like jelly put one foot in front of the other. The restrooms weren’t too far from the small waiting area after all. 

Heart pounded frantically as his vision blurred, he fumbled with the doorknob and immediately crashed into an empty stall. Knees bent forward, he collapsed in front of the toilet, dry heaving. Beads of sweat dripped down his neck. His entire body felt like it was on fire. 

Footsteps neared the stall door, Steve kneeling right behind him. A hand pressed to his spine, rubbing in circles. 

Bucky came up for breath only to find _he couldn't_. Short stuttering inhales between panting, his labored breathing filled the silence of the room. 

“Breathe Buck, slow and deep,” Steve said behind him. 

He was goddamn trying to.

Another hand kneaded back and forth on his flesh shoulder. “Bucky breathe, focus on my voice, take a deep breath.” 

When he finally does manage a shaky breath, he cursed like a sailor. 

“Fuck, I can’t do this,” Bucky’s strained voice said, head hovering above the toilet. “I can’t fucking do this,” he spat out. “I need to get— get out of here, I need, I need—” his lower lip trembled, chest heaving. 

_Hyperventilation._

“Okay, okay, shh,” Steve hushed, turning Bucky around to face him.

Steve pulled him into a soft cradle. Those familiar arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close. Bucky pushed his face forward into Steve’s neck, hands gripping tight on the fabric of his shirt, holding onto him like a lifeline. 

Steve rocked him back and forth while uttering reassurances. “Deep breaths, I’ve got you, focus on my breathing. Come back to me, Buck.” 

Steve smelled like the body wash they share, a faint hint of aftershave, of fresh Brooklyn spring air, and— home. Steve smelled like _home_. 

They stayed there in the tiny space of the stall while Bucky brought his breathing back down to a normal level. He nestled in the arms of the love of his life while being gently rocked. 

After minutes of stillness, Steve asked, “do you want to leave, try this another day?”

Fuck no, he came this far might as well finish it. 

Bucky shook his head rapidly. “No, no— fuck,” he sniffed wetly. “My mouth fucking hurts, I want these goddamn teeth out so my nerves will chill the fuck out.” 

“Okay, but I wouldn’t be opposed if you wanted to leave,” Steve looked at him with sympathy. “Are you sure?” 

Bucky coughed a couple of times, clearing his throat before speaking. “Yes. I’m so sorry about all this.”

Steve balked with a soft huff. “No,” he shook his head. “No, Bucky. You have nothing to be sorry for. You’ve been so brave these past couple days, I couldn’t be prouder of you.” 

“Mmh, thank you, Stevie. I love you so much,” Bucky pulled away from Steve’s hold, legs shaking as he pulled himself up. “Let’s get this over with.”

Steve stood and pulled Bucky back into his arms briefly, sealing a kiss on his lips. “I love you too, Buck. I’ll be right by your side.” 

They intertwined their hands and exited the restroom. Right as they walked out, the door leading to the exam rooms opened. 

A nurse in lilac scrubs strolled out. “James Barnes?” she announced to the open waiting room. 

James? Oh shit, right, that’s him. 

Growing realization and horror of the approaching surgery rushed through his mind. _Gotta leave, gotta leave, gotta leave_ , his brain repeatedly told him. 

A familiar hand caressed his back again, bringing him back to the present. The hand holding his squeezed back. 

Steve smiled, “You’re gonna do great.”

### ♡♡♡

Nurse Jessica, she introduced herself, led them to a reasonably sized room. Inside, the decor and overall setup were much nicer than the one from yesterday. Walls were coated nearly the same color as the waiting room with off white wood flooring. There were two windows on either side, bringing in natural light. The dental chair sat in the center, back facing the doorway. On the right side, a counter with a small sink was against the wall. A metal tray stood nearby, covered. Bucky thanked whoever thought to cover them. He does not want to see any of those tools thank you very much. 

“Go ahead, take a seat and we'll get you set up,” Jessica said, moving over to set the nitrous tank up. 

Bucky took a moment to collect himself and gather courage before moving forward. He let go of Steve’s hand and sat down, swinging his legs over the side. Laying back all the way, he was able to see the ceiling but not his feet. Overall it felt comfortable, the pillow headrest was a nice touch. Off to his left side, Steve stood nearby, close enough if he needed to reach out. 

Jessica held up a white nose mask with tubing on both sides. “Is it okay if we start you off on some oxygen?” she asked. 

They were _asking_ for his consent, maybe this place wasn’t so bad. Deep down, he still had a phobia, kind people, or not. 

Bucky took a deep breath in, nodding. “That’s fine.” 

Jessica told him, “deep breaths through your nose,” before the mask was slid over his nose. It was rather snug, a soft hissing sound filled the room from it. 

Bucky closed his eyes and breathed in the cool oxygen flowing through. He appreciated the soothing feel of it, it was a warm welcome after his panic attack. Flashbacks tried to threaten his mind but he ignored and stuffed them into the back of his head. This wasn't Hydra. Screw Hydra. 

Shuffling went on behind him before Jessica walked up to him again. A paper bib covered his chest. That and the pressure of something inflating on his flesh arm brought him back to the present. Somehow, he managed to miss the part when they pushed his sleeve up. 

“Steve,” Bucky called out in a tremor. Metal hand blindly searching for Steve. 

“I’m right here, Buck.” Steve stepped closer and grasped Bucky’s hand. “You’re okay, it's just the blood pressure cuff inflating. You’re doing so well.” 

“Don’t leave,” Bucky said, gripping Steve’s hand lightly. Anxiety continued to simmer in his gut. 

“Not going anywhere, pal.” Steve placed a hand on Bucky’s knee, grounding him. 

It was Steve’s silent way of saying ' _I_ _will be yours forever and will always be with you_.’ Bucky reminded himself, his husband was here. Steve will protect him, he’ll keep him safe. Steve was safe. _Safe, safe, safe._

Bucky peered his eyes open, neck craned upward as eyes stared on his towering husband. “You always know how to look after me, Stevie.” 

Steve ran an unoccupied hand through Bucky’s hair. Bucky loves when Steve pets his hair. Part of the reason why he never cut it. 

“Only learned from the best, didn’t I?” Steve said, giving Bucky a wide smile that radiated love and devotion. 

“Switching you over to the nitrous now,” Jessica announced to the side. 

Steve cooed, “Ooh, now you’ll get to feel good.” 

“Mmhmm,” Bucky hummed softly. 

All of a sudden, he realized a good chunk of time went by. Whether it was seconds or minutes, he wasn’t sure. An odd tingling sensation coursed through his entire body. He never experienced anything like it. 

Steve’s research had been right, it really felt like floating on a cloud. Fear and anxiety vanished like they were never there in the first place. He could still talk if he needed to, but his whole body seemed heavy. A wash of calm seeped into his veins as he relaxed further. Whatever drugs the twenty-first century had, was a true miracle worker. 

At some point, a soft blanket draped neatly over him. Bucky never felt more relaxed in his life. They were treating him like _royalty_. 

Bucky looked up at the ceiling. A TV above showed a video of kittens playing around a tall cat tree. He registered the sound of soft music playing in the background. An orange kitten from the video climbed up the cat tree but another kitten on top pounced on them. The orange kitten, startled, fell back down backward. 

Bucky giggled. 

“What’s so funny, hm?” Steve asked, glancing at the TV where Bucky’s eyes were glued to. 

“Heh,” Bucky giggled again, his eyes began to droop. “Kittens are cute.” 

Steve’s soft hands were still on his head, carding through the loose strands. With Steve by his side, he decided it was safe enough to close his eyes. He does feel sleepy all of a sudden. 

“Yeah, I guess they are, aren’t they?” 

The oral surgeon greeted everyone as he walked through the door. Bucky heard Steve exchanging a couple of words with them. He huffed a breath at the creeping thought of the procedure.

On the right side, the surgeon addressed him, said they were going to place an IV in his arm and he’ll take a nap.

Bucky gave the surgeon a hum in response. Cool, naps are great. They attached what felt like a plastic clip to his pointer finger. Hands were lightly touching and grasping his right arm. A band was tied around his bicep followed by something cool swiping over the crook of his arm. 

Soft, large hands turned his head to the left. Those are Steve’s hands, his brain supplied. A brief kiss to his forehead and a voice that said ‘ _I’ll see you when you wake up_ ,’ was the last thing he remembered before falling into a peaceful sleep. 

### ♡♡♡

Back in his Hydra years, waking from Cryo had not been anything pleasant. He hated the cold back in the forties and he hated the cold now. He’d never be accustomed to it. 

On the other hand, waking from post wisdom teeth removal surgery was on a whole new level of crazy. But this was a good type of crazy, he was never quite felt this way in his life. A sense of calm settled in his bones. 

What kind of drugs did they give him? He felt amazing. 

His entire mouth tingles and what felt like cotton was stuffed on either side. Something cold wrapped around his head. He despised the cold but this was an exemption. Stretching out his legs, he realized he was on a reclined chair. It's large, made of comfortable leather. The blanket from earlier draped from his feet to his chest. 

Voices echoed in the distance, he recognized one of them. 

“He’ll be loopy for a couple of hours, change his gauze out every so often and he can’t drink anything hot or from a straw,” an unrecognized voice said. 

“Okay, thank you,” said Steve. “When can I take him home?” 

“Soon as he thinks he can stand up and walk around,” they continued. “We’ll have a wheelchair ready before you leave. I’ll leave you to him.” 

The sound of the door clicking shut brought Bucky to the present. He cracked his eyes open and blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness of the room. 

A tall blonde man walked over to him. 

Holy shit, Steve! 

“Steeeevie!” Bucky exclaimed with a lopsided grin. “Heeeeeey.” He tried sitting up but failed, slumping back down with a thump against the leather.

Steve sat down on a chair next to Bucky. He had what looked to be an instruction pamphlet and some gauze in his hands. “Hey there Buck, how’re you feeling?” 

“You know, I was scared before but now...” Bucky raised his flesh arm and it immediately fell back down on the armrest. “I feel amazing!” His voice filled the small room. 

“Bucky,” Steve said, holding back a laugh. “Keep your voice down, you’re being rather loud.” 

“Oh,” Bucky immediately whispered with a frown. 

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re feeling great. I don’t know how much they gave you but it's definitely working,” Steve said, pulling out his phone. “Apparently it's not so easy to knock out a super soldier.” Steve sat the phone down on a table nearby.

Bucky’s eyes lit up at the name. “I’m a super soldier?!” 

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Yes, you are.” 

Bucky leaned closer to Steve, curious. “How did that happen?” 

Steve hesitated a moment from answering the question. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I— I uh,” he stammered. 

“Oh!” Bucky managed to sit up halfway. “I bet they gave me superpowers when I was in surgery, didn’t they?” 

“Jesus Christ,” Steve said under his breath, wiping a hand over his face. “No, Bucky they didn’t give you superpowers.” 

“You don’t know that,” Bucky argued. 

“Okay, mister superpowers,” Steve reached over and pulled the blanket back over Bucky from where it fell. ”How about you rest for a bit and we’ll get out of here when you’re up for it?” 

Bucky nodded and hummed in response, content with the idea. 

It wasn’t even a minute later and Bucky was back to rambling. 

“So pretty, I want one of my own.” Bucky’s eyes were glued to Steve’s ring finger. Silver wedding band glistened as he turned Steve’s hand to and from. 

Steve took his metal hand and faced it in front of him, the same wedding band gleamed on his ring finger. “Sweetheart, we’re married.” 

“Wha— we’re what, now?” Bucky blinked slowly, gaping at his hand. 

“Yeah, five years now, remember?” Steve clasped his ring bearing hand with Bucky’s metal one. 

Bucky’s jaw dropped partially, sedation still full in effect. “God, Stevie how did I manage it?”

Steve chuckled. “What’s that, Buck?”

“Being with you,” Bucky leaned over the armrest and stroked Steve’s cheek with his flesh hand. “Because you’re so damn pretty.” 

“Ah well, thank you,” Steve blushed, taking his phone back and slipping it into his pocket. “You are too, Bucky.” 

Bucky’s hand came to an immediate stop. 

“You think I’m pretty?” Bucky backed away an inch. 

“Well of course,” Steve said. “You’ve always been pretty, long as I can remember.” 

Bucky made a sad huff and removed his hands from Steve. He flopped back down on the recliner. 

“Oh no, hey.” Steve stood to stand next to Bucky. “Buck, honey, what’s wrong?” 

Bucky whined, “I thought I was cute.” 

Steve kissed Bucky’s flesh hand. “Aw Buck, you are cute but you’re also pretty.” 

Bucky face lit up, “I am?” 

“Of course, you’re especially cute when you have your hair pulled up in a bun.” Steve stroked Bucky’s hair a couple of times. 

“Thank you, Stevie.” 

Steve sat back down and pulled some gauze out from the pack. “Anyways, the nurse said we need to change out the gauze occasionally,” he said. “So how about we do that now?” 

“Mmmkay.”

“Here, let me remove the old ones,” Steve said, reaching towards Bucky’s face.

Bucky opened his mouth wide as he could. Steve quickly removed the old blood-soaked gauze. 

Bucky gasped sharply. “Steve, I can’t feel my mouth!” he cried. “It's gone!” 

“It's where they numbed you,” Steve explained, disposing of the old gauze. “You just had surgery to remove all four of your wisdom teeth, remember?” 

“When will it come back?” Bucky pointed at his mouth, tears falling from his cheek. 

“It’ll fade away later in the day, you’re okay,” Steve paused. “Would you like something to drink before I put the new gauze in?” 

“Mmh, sure,” Bucky nodded. 

Steve walked across the room to grab Bucky some water from the sink. The sight had Bucky over the moon. 

Bucky’s eyes widened. “Oh— Oh my god.” He stared at Steve’s ass. Tight skinny jeans highlighted every curve. It was a breathtaking sight. 

Steve quickly spun back around. “What’s wrong, Bucky?” Some of the water he had filled into a cup, spilled onto the floor. 

“I get to take _that_ home with me,” Bucky said in a low voice. 

Steve blushed like he hadn’t since 1944. 

“Jeez, Buck, you sure are extra flirty when you’re high up on meds.” Steve handed Bucky the paper cup. 

Bucky sipped at it slowly. “Uh-huh, but that’s a great ass.” He gave it back once it was completely drained. 

“Mhm. Can you open your mouth again for me real quick?” Steve asked. 

A few pieces of cotton were upheld. Bucky nodded and opened his mouth for Steve to place the new cotton inside. 

Steve hummed. “Good, bite down now.”

Bucky does what he was told. “Feels weird,” he said, voice muffled from the thick cotton. They made his mouth look even puffier now the old ones were out. 

“I know, but it's okay. Just keep biting down and the bleeding will stop eventually.” Steve said, sitting back down. 

Bucky sank further into the chair and almost dozed off before speaking up again.

“Steeeeve, Stevie, my Stevie. How did a guy like me manage to seal this kinda deal?” Bucky pointed in the middle of Steve’s chest, at his heart. 

“Yeah I know, I love you too.” he gently pushed Bucky back down into the recliner. “Now rest, okay?”

“You love me too? Oh— _oh_ , I’m gonna have to call the birdman and tell him!”

Steve erupted into a full body laugh at the nickname. “Okay, okay. Now, how about you rest for real this time,” he said. “We’ll leave when you think you can walk. So in about twenty minutes, okay?” 

“Okaaay,” Bucky said. “Anything for you, Stevie.” 

### ♡♡♡

Even after a short nap, the drive back to the apartment was twice as more eventful. Silence filled the car during the first five minutes until they came to a stop at a red light. 

Bucky gasped, “Steve! Steve, what is that?” He looked out the passenger window in fascination, shaking Steve’s shoulder. 

Steve looked around briefly before fixing his gaze on Bucky. “What is what, Buck?” 

Bucky points up at the sky, awestruck. “There's white things in the sky!” 

“Bucky, those are clouds,” Steve said, returning to focus on the road when the light turned green. 

“Oh.” Bucky tapped on the window with his metal hand, intrigued by the sound it made against the glass. He fell silent, content as metal fingers clinked against the glass. Gears in his head turned, calculating a thought before mentioning the worst thing possible. 

“What happens if I break the glass?” 

A plethora of curses filled the car as it swerved. Steve turned his head sharply over to Bucky. “No, don’t punch the window!” 

Bucky’s metal hand hovered in the air. “So that’s a no, then?” 

“No!” Steve reached over to pull Bucky’s arm away from the window. “Do not break the window, Bucky. Jesus Christ.” Sweat formed on his forehead.

“Aw,” Bucky slouched in his seat. “I wanted to see what would happen,” he whined.

Steve sighed, eyes back on the road. “It would shatter and glass would go all over the car, you, and me.” 

Bucky sat back up, fascination evident in his voice. “That sounds so cool! Steve, can I do it? Please, please, please?” 

“No, Bucky. Sit back down and relax, we’ll be home soon.” 

“You’re no fun,” Bucky grumbled. 

Bucky went from bizarre conversations to flirting with corny pickup lines. 

“Are you a model?” Bucky’s eyes were full of interest. 

He continued to the next, “I must be a snowflake cause I think I’ve fallen for you.” 

Every minute he came up with a new pickup line. 

With a straight face, Bucky asked. “You might be busy today but can you add me to your to do list?” Steve had gripped the steering wheel tight as he let out a soft whine. 

Bucky just wouldn’t stop with the never ending bad pickup lines. 

“I must be in a museum, cause you truly are a work of art.” 

They passed by a large billboard advertising skittles. “My lips are like skittles, wanna taste the rainbow?” Bucky batted his eyelashes at Steve.

“Are you a cake?” Bucky asked. “Because I want a piece of that,” he poked Steve’s upper thigh. 

Steve had to catch his breath at that one. 

### ♡♡♡

Moving from the wheelchair to the car had been one thing. Getting out of the car and up the steps to their apartment? Even a bigger struggle. Only this time he wasn’t energetic. He was flat out exhausted. 

“Come on, it's just a short walk up the stairs.” Steve stood outside the passenger door, holding it open. “Then you can get into bed.” 

“Nooo, ‘m gon’a take a nap right here,” Bucky slurred, eyes closed and reclined in the seat. 

Steve leaned into the car, unbuckling his seatbelt. “That can’t be comfortable, Buck.” 

“Does too. I feel— I feel great. Just wan’a sleep— couple minutes,” Bucky said between multiple yawns. 

“I know you do.” Steve pulled the seat up, causing a protest from Bucky. “You can sleep when you’re in bed, but I need you to stay awake a while longer. That gauze needs to be changed out again.” 

Steve moved Bucky’s legs over the side so his feet touched the ground. “Noooo,” he pouted at the loss of his comfortable position. “Why'd you do that, Stevie?” 

“So we can go inside, come on, stand up.” Steve held Bucky’s hands.

Bucky heaved a sigh, standing up slowly. He was still weak on his feet. “Lean onto me,” Steve said.

“Whoa, hey—” Bucky fell forward onto Steve. “Okay, just fall into my arms then.” 

“Mmm, you smell good,” Bucky's muffled voice said, face buried in Steve’s chest. 

“Oh I do, do I?” Steve snicked, wrapping an arm around Bucky and closing the car door. “Come on, it's not too far.” 

Upon entering the apartment, Steve remained to hold Bucky up against his side, whose head hung low. The drugs were clearly still in full effect. Bucky would be a heap on the floor if not for Steve. His legs were shaky, even with his body draped over Steve. Not even five feet past the entryway, Bucky lunged face forward onto the couch. 

Steve raised an eyebrow, confused. “You don’t want to get into bed?”

Bucky was silent for a moment. “This not the bed?” 

Steve deposited the keys into a metal dish on the entertainment center. “No Buck, you’re on the couch.” 

“Ohh,” Bucky responded, before moving onto the next topic. “My mouth feels numb.” 

“You’ve said that many times now,” Steve laughed, walking over to the couch. “Can I change out the gauze? Might make it feel better, not having the old ones in.” 

Bucky rolled over onto his back, stretching out his legs to fill the entire couch. Steve stood in front of him, holding the packet of gauze. Those dark, tight skinny jeans really do fit every curve of his thighs. The backside was even better, he would know, especially after appreciating it back at the dentist’s office. 

“You can change out my anything, anytime,” Bucky said with a lust filled grin. 

Steve sat on the edge of the couch, face close to Bucky’s ear. “You know,” he started with a low voice. “If you weren’t high off of meds from just having surgery, I’d say I would do something about that.” Luscious lips pressed against Bucky’s upper cheek. “Because you’ve been extra flirty.” 

Bucky melted in Steve’s low husky voice next to his ear as smooth lips grazed against his cheek. “Holy...” His husband very well may be the most gorgeous thing on earth. 

Steve laughed into Bucky’s neck. “Don’t get too excited, now,” he said, pulling away. 

“You’re such a tease,” Bucky said. 

“Uhuh, so I’ve been told,” Steve winked at him. “Now seriously, your gauze needs to be changed, they’ve got to be full of blood by now.” 

“Gross.” Bucky’s nose scrunched in disgust. 

“Open up,” Steve said, taking out a few pieces of cotton.

Bucky opened his mouth to let Steve remove the old cotton. They weren’t drenched in blood like before. Old gauze was thrown into the garbage nearby. 

“Okay well, I think the bleeding has mostly stopped,” Steve said, pulling himself away from Bucky. “Do you want to try and eat something soft before I put new ones in? Maybe ice cream, yogurt?” 

“Hmmm, I am tired but now that you mention ice cream...” Bucky pondered for a second, humming to himself. “The plum flavor.”

“You got it, plum lover.” Steve smiled, moving to retrieve the said ice cream from the freezer. 

Steve returned with the half-pint of plum flavored ice cream, spoon in tow. He sat back down, the same spot as before, and passed the spoon to Bucky. The spoon in Bucky’s hand fell immediately and so did his face. 

“Awh...” Bucky stared at the spoon that sat on his lap.

Steve picked the spoon back up. “Want me to feed you?” 

“Please,” Bucky said. 

A spoonful of ice cream was brought up to his mouth. He opened gracefully for the sweet plum flavor only to be hit with cold and nothing more.

Bucky whined, “I can’t feel my tongue,” between a swallow. 

“Hey, I know.” Steve rubbed Bucky’s arm. “It’ll take time to fade away.”

They said one side effect from the anesthesia could be mood swings. Bucky definitely was one of those people who gets them. Like a flash of lightning, he started crying. 

“Why can’t I feel anything?” he repeated, not listening to what Steve had said. Tears fell down his cheeks. “How long has it been?” 

“Aw, Buck. I know, I know it sucks,” Steve murmured. The carton and spoon were set aside on the coffee table. He pushed Bucky up a bit, slipping in behind to pull him against his chest. “It's been about forty-five minutes since you woke up and a solid couple hours since they administered the drugs.” Steve ran both hands through Bucky’s hair. 

Bucky took in a series of shaky breaths. “I don’t like it.” 

Steve nodded. “Everyone reacts differently to them, you’re okay.” 

A loud rumbling noise filled the room. “How about you try and eat a few more bites? You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday at dinner and it wasn't much.” Steve picked back up the carton and spoon. 

“Hm...okay,” Bucky said. 

Fifteen minutes and multiple spoonfuls of ice cream lead to half lidded eyes threatening to flutter shut. Bucky eventually dozed off for a solid minute once Steve put new gauze in his mouth. A gentle hand shaking his shoulder roused him to the present. 

“Hey,” Steve whispered, patting his shoulder. “Let’s get you into bed, I know you're exhausted.” 

“Uh-uh, you’re warm.” Bucky turned onto his side to fit himself snug between Steve’s legs. 

“But the bed is much warmer, and comfortable,” Steve said. 

Bucky wrapped both arms around Steve’s left leg. “You’re much warmer and comfortable.” 

Laughter rumbled beneath him. “Okay, but pajamas will be cozier than a hoodie and workout sweats.” 

“Nooo,” Bucky whined, pressing his face to Steve’s thigh. “Stay right here.” 

“Bed, Buck.” Steve unlatched Bucky’s death grip from his leg and lifted him to a sitting position. 

Bucky gave out a long drawn out huff. “Fine.” 

Down the hall, Bucky latched himself to Steve’s side as they wanted in the direction of their bedroom. Steve walked Bucky over to the left side of the bed, sitting him down on the edge. 

“Sit right there while I get you some pajamas,” Steve said. He crossed the room to grab a shirt and pants from their shared dresser. 

Thinking he could do it, Bucky pulled his hoodie up but the neck hole caught between his nose. The ice wrap around his face remained, getting caught in the mix too. Arms in the air and face covered by the thick fabric, Bucky called out.

“Steve?” 

“Hm?” Steve turned around. “Oh— Bucky, I was going to help you with that.” 

“Thought I could do it,” Bucky said, falling backward onto the bed with a thump. 

Steve helped him out of his hoodie and sweatpants, replacing them with a fresh t-shirt and much comfier pajama pants. 

The ice wrap was untied from his head. “Most of the swelling's gone but I’ll put this in the freezer in case you need it again,” Steve said. 

Bucky was lightly pushed down into the mattress, the large heavy comforter coming to wrap over his shoulders. He wasn’t having any of it. Kicking at the covers, he attempted to spring himself into Steve’s arms again. 

“Buck,” Steve said, gently pushing him back down into the pillows. “You need to rest, where did this sudden surge of energy come from?” 

“Ice cream,” Bucky responded with a ‘ _what did you expect_ ’ face. 

“Yeah, it may have given you energy now but you’ll definitely feel it later in the day.” Steve pulled the covers over Bucky once more. 

“Aw,” Bucky let his arms fall to his sides. 

“Relax and get some sleep.” Steve tucked a loose strand of hair behind Bucky’s ear. “They called in a prescription for your pain meds. So I’m going to the pharmacy to pick them up,” he said, giving Bucky a quick kiss to the cheek. 

The face Bucky gave Steve was heart shattering.

Bucky pushed back further into the pillows. “You’re not staying with me?” he said in a small voice. 

Steve ran a hand through Bucky’s hair. “I’ll only be gone for a half an hour, promise.” 

“Okay,” Bucky nodded into the pillows, curling up on his side. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Buck.” Steve leaned in for one more kiss. “Be back soon.” 

### ♡♡♡

The first thing that registered in his mind was a gentle hand pressing against the back of his head. Fingers carded through his hair from the top to his neck. A firm figure beneath him had another arm wrapped securely around his back, holding what felt like was a book. He was being held by someone. Not just that, he’d been held the whole time he slept. The chest he’d been using as a pillow had drool on the shirt fabric. Oops.

Bucky opened his eyes and looked up. Oh, Stevie. His husband was too beautiful for words. Steve’s eyes were glued to a book in his hands, focused entirely on the text. He felt relaxed, happy even. They cuddled in bed, the sun casting a faint glow on them. 

Everything good came crashing down once his mind registered soreness coming from his mouth. Right, wisdom teeth surgery. That’s how he got here. His teeth may not be a problem anymore but his jaw felt achy as hell. A dull, tingling sensation lingered in his mouth. It was still numb but that ‘zing’ faded quickly as it came. 

Peering to the window, Bucky found it to be mid-afternoon. How long had he been out? The surgery was in the early morning. All he could remember was Steve by his side before passing out. However long he slept, his body still felt weak. 

A yawn threatened to surface and he let his body give in. He shrieked at the contact as his jaw screamed in protest. Steve stirred beneath him from his pained outcry. 

“Hey, sore?” Steve said in a murmur. 

Bucky croaked out, “yes,” eyes widening at the sound of his voice. 

Steve sat his book aside and snatched a cup from the nightstand. “Here, take a sip of water.” 

The glass pressed to his lips. Cool liquid slipped down his throat as he drank small sips at a time. He pushed the glass back once he was satisfied. 

“How long have I been out?” Bucky asked in a whisper. 

“Mmm...” Steve hummed to himself, placing the glass back down. “We came home around ten and you didn’t get into bed until thirty minutes after.” he glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “It's two sixteen right now so a little over three and a half hours.” 

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you get me to bed sooner?” 

Steve chuckled. “You fell onto the couch the moment we hit the door and you refused to get up from it, and me.” 

“Yeah, that sounds like me,” Bucky said, stretching out his arms and legs. “What else did I do?”

“Oh, you certainly said a lot...of things,” Steve said slowly. 

Bucky stopped stretching and looked at Steve skeptically. “What did I say?” 

Steve’s cheeks warmed into a blush. “There’s so much to tell but for the most part, you were flirty.”

A grin formed on Bucky’s face. “Really?” 

Steve cupped a hand around the nape of Bucky’s neck. “Let’s just say, you would have most likely gone down on me if I hadn’t stopped you.” 

Bucky gives out a high pitched laugh. “Drugged up me knows what's up.” 

Steve sighed, shaking his head. “Anyways, how are you feeling?” 

“Oh, god, don’t remind me.” Bucky hid his face in Steve’s shoulder. “Tired, sore as hell. Could’ve been run over by a bus for all I know.” 

“You’ll be sore for a couple of days, I’ve got the pain meds in the kitchen if you’re ready to take one,” Steve said. 

“Oh hell yes, please.” Bucky sat up an inch. “I’m starving too. I could go for a coffee right now too.”

Steve’s hand hovered near Bucky’s neck. “Can’t drink anything hot, remember? You don’t want to risk getting a dry socket.”

“Ugh, I forgot,” Bucky said 

“Now, on the other hand, I could make you some scrambled eggs.” 

“I like that idea.” 

“Okay, stay here while I get your meds and fix that up,” Steve said, tearing himself away from Bucky.

“I can’t leave the room?”

Steve crossed over to the door. “You need to take it easy today, moving around too much could increase bleeding and it just stopped a while after we got home.” 

“Ah,” Bucky said. “Well, I can have you wait on me now.”

“Mmhm, of course,” Steve said, already down the hall. 

While Steve was busy in the kitchen, Bucky decided he was fine enough to get up and move around the room. Sure, he got all four teeth removed but his entire body begged to differ. Surgery was exhausting and it sucked.

One bathroom trip later, Bucky walked back into the bedroom to find Steve sitting up in the bed with a tray, two plates full of scrambled eggs. On the side was a pill and a fresh glass of water. 

“I did forget to mention one other thing,” Steve started cautiously. 

Bucky sat on the bed, swallowing down the pill and a gulp of water at Steve’s words. 

“I may have recorded you for a few minutes.”

Bucky scoffed. “Steve, you didn’t.” 

Steve rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You were being adorable.” 

Of course, Steve had to show him the video right then. The two and a half minute video turned out to be one of the most embarrassing moments of Bucky’s life. Did he say all those things? To his credit, he did mean most of it. All the flirty parts especially. Who knew drugs equaled love potion when he was high on them. 

“You know, I may not remember saying those things…” Bucky started. “But I mean it, all of it. You mean everything to me. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for you being there for me. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever known my whole life. I’ve always felt this way since we were kids. Before I even knew what love meant. There are so many things I love about you, I could make a list and still run out of space.” Bucky pressed a hand to Steve’s chest. “I love you, Steve.” 

Steve pulled Bucky into a deep kiss, filled with love and passion. And the taste of...eggs. Only a few seconds later, Bucky was pulling away from Steve with a grimace.

Concern flooded Steve’s face at his sudden change of behavior. “You okay?”

Bucky nodded. “Fine, ‘cept I still can’t feel my lips.” 

“Oh sorry, I forgot,” Steve laughed. “The instructions they gave said it could last up to twelve hours.” 

“Ugh, this sucks,” Bucky said, picking up a plate of eggs. 

“Yeah, but you aren’t in pain anymore.” 

“Mmm...yeah,” Bucky hummed between a mouthful. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Steve asked. 

Bucky fixed his gaze on Steve. “For making me go,” he said. “For being there for me.” 

Steve smiled. “Always, Buck. You know I’ll be there, in sickness or health.” 

They continued eating in peace until Steve spoke up again. 

“Oh, and one more thing,” Steve said. “I may have shared the video with the avenger’s group chat.” 

“God, Steve.” Bucky playfully punched Steve in the arm. “You’re such a punk.” 

“Jerk.”


	2. Epilogue: Dry Socket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bucky?” Steve repeated. 
> 
> That was it. He had a dry socket.
> 
> “Hurts,” he heard himself say. “Steve—”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is!! A short little epilogue to go with this oneshot! I thought of this idea while I was writing the first part but I couldn't figure out where to put it. Until I realized an epilogue, duh! 
> 
> Is this medically accurate? Heck no lol, I definitely exaggerated the pain for the sake of the hurt/comfort. In this house, we do what we want, regardless of accuracy. Sometimes you just want to jump straight into that good ole hurt/comfort. And that's exactly what I did! 
> 
> PS: I'm sorry Bucky.

The universe was out to get Bucky. No, _his body_ was out to get him. What did he do to piss his body off so much? Suffering through a month of pain was enough. 

He followed the post-op instructions to the letter. Steve could vouch for him, he’d know. There hadn’t been a single sign of warning that something was wrong. Not even a ‘this might be a sign of something’ or ‘I definitely need to get this checked out in the morning.’ Nothing. It sprung on sudden and it boy did it hit him _hard_.

Silence filled the car as they drove back to their apartment after joining Clint and Natasha at a local bar. They both kept their hands to themselves. If they didn’t, they’d never get home. 

Mere seconds into the entryway, Bucky was being kissed roughly. Steve lifted him and he followed suit, legs around his waist with arms around his neck. Soft moans between kisses filled the apartment as they passed down the hall. 

Steve pushed him down onto the mattress face up and climbed over him, slotting their bodies together. Kisses trailed down the sensitive part of his neck. He tugged Steve’s shirt off, tossing it to the floor. Bucky ran his hands down Steve’s chest, meeting him with parted lips. 

He had just undone Steve’s belt loops when he felt an odd, unfamiliar shooting pain in his mouth. Worse than the initial discomfort before surgery. His mouth was on fire. No, his mouth was having an earthquake, hurricane, and then put on fire. 

It nearly made him nauseated, enough to hold onto Steve’s shoulders for support. Grin and bearing it was out of the question. He was in the utmost pain imaginable. A whimper, possibly mistaken as a moan escaped his lips. 

Steve’s hands were still all over him, talking in all sorts of dirty words. All that extra attention made it _worse_. 

He could scream until his throat became hoarse. 

He did scream, shaking himself to his core, and more than likely Steve too. 

" _Fuck!_ ”  
  
“Oh God, I’m sorry.” Steve pulled himself away the second he heard his outcry, face full of concern. “Did I do something wrong?” 

Bucky rolled onto his side, legs pulled against his chest with arms clutching them like his life depended on it. Instinctively, he rocked himself. This was torture. And he’d endured torture for decades, but this was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. 

“Buck, what’s wrong?” Steve’s shaky voice in the distance said. When did he get so far away? Oh, his ears are ringing. 

Drool pooled onto their new comforter from having his mouth open the whole time. It was a nice silky comforter he picked out a couple of weeks ago too. But he didn’t care, all that mattered was the current throbbing, aching pain in his mouth. 

“Bucky?” Steve repeated. 

That was it. He had a dry socket.  
  
“Hurts,” he heard himself say. “ _Steve—_ ”

He did everything he was supposed to do and yet it still got him here. Couldn’t the world give him some slack? 

Steve placed a hand on his lower leg. “What hurts Buck, what hurts?” 

“Mouth _— oh, god_.” Fists clenched tight in the comforter. The first wave of pain was hell but somehow it turned up a notch. “Fuck, knock me out,” he blurted out, breaths coming out in pants. “Fucking knock me out, this hurts so goddamn bad.” 

“Shit,” Steve cursed, pulling his shirt back on. “Okay, uh _—_ I’ll try to find the emergency number for the dentist’s office.” Fingers darted across the phone screen, swiping to and from.

“No,” Bucky said firmly. 

“What?” Steve’s mouth parted, dumbfounded. “You’re in pain Buck! You _—_ ” 

“Hospital,” he ground out as he managed to sit up. 

The room spun once he was upright. Dizzy, how could he be dizzy? 

“But you hate _—_ okay, okay,” Steve said, finally catching up to the reality of the dire situation. “Let me get my wallet and keys, I’ll be right back to get you.”

Steve left the room. He was alone in god awful pain. Standing up and walking around might help, he thought. Bad idea. Four steps in and he fell face forward onto the carpet. Great, now that’ll add onto the list of pain. 

He wasn’t sure how long he laid there. Footsteps neared the doorway. 

“I’ve got the car running, let’s get _—_ ” Steve halted in his tracks, face turning white as a ghost. “Bucky!” 

Strong arms lifted him to a standing position. His flesh arm draped across Steve’s shoulders, letting his face fall into the crook of his neck. 

“I’ve got you. Come on, Buck.” Steve led them to the already open front door, letting it fall shut behind them. 

Steve maneuvered him into the passenger seat and closed the door. Once Steve sat in the driver’s seat, he gave Bucky a hand towel. Bucky’s face pulled into a frown, wondering why he’d need a towel. He’s not bleeding or anything. 

Steve backed up and pulled out onto the main road.

 _Oh, shit that’s why._ Movement and vibrations of the car made it _worse_. 

Bucky cried out into the towel, muffling his screams. Legs kicked beneath the floorboard in distress. It wouldn’t let up. Couldn't it give him a break for like five minutes? 

“Fuck, it hurts, it hurts,” Bucky huffed a breath and repeated in a mantra.  
  
Steve pushed past the speed limit, rushing through almost every red light they came to. Steve _never_ does that.

“I know. Hang on, Buck, we’ll be there soon,” Steve said, setting a hand on his knee, squeezing lightly. 

Bucky gripped the towel so tight his knuckles were turning white. He pressed his face further into it, a multitude of screams and cries filled the small space of the car. 

“Drive faster!” Bucky snarled directly to Steve. He’s never spoken to Steve that harsh before.   
  
“Just ten minutes, we’re ten minutes out.”

### ♡♡♡

By some form of a miracle, they took him back immediately. Maybe it had to do with Steve being Captain America or from his screaming. Who knew, who cared. He’s still in some of the worst pain he’s ever experienced. And he’s the former Winter Soldier. They don’t joke about dry sockets for nothing. 

The medical staff brought out a gurney and he had no hesitance to climb onto it. They wheeled him down the hall, toward a private room. Steve was right beside him, holding his hand. 

Steve must’ve explained what was going on earlier when they arrived. Because the next thing he knew, a doctor and a couple of nurses were encouraging him to open his mouth and be still. 

He withered and cried out so much they mentioned to _hold him down_.   
  
Thank God for Steve, for stepping in and taking care of it himself. He preferred Steve rather than some stranger. 

Steve’s hands were resting on his chest, encouraging him to settle down. “You need to calm down Buck, they’re just trying to help.” Thumbs moved back and forth in a calming manner. For what little of a gesture it was, soothing it did. “I know it hurts something awful but you’ll feel so much better once they’re done.”   
  
Bucky hummed in response. He doesn’t want to know what his voice would sound like after all his screaming. After exhaling a shaky breath and collecting his composure, he nodded the go ahead. 

The doctor _—_ or dentist, technically speaking? He didn’t know _—_ was looking around in his mouth with a mirror. They passed around words and phrases amongst themselves that Bucky didn’t understand the meanings to. 

“We’re looking at two dry sockets here,” the doctor said, setting the mirror down onto a tray. 

Bucky’s breath caught in his throat and let out a short whine of ‘ _two?_ ’ The doctor responded with a sympathetic nod as they got the materials ready for treatment. 

Steve gave him a compassionate look. “I’m sorry, Buck.” 

Ready as he’ll ever be, he opened his mouth for the doctor to do whatever came next. They said his sockets needed to be cleaned out first. The sound of the suction didn’t help his situation at all. 

The sounds he made were unbelievable. Screaming he did at first but now he’s a howling, weeping mess of tears. Eyes squeezed shut, he tried to not think of whatever they were doing to his gums. Tears spilled from the corner of his eyes, trailing down his cheeks. 

Steve’s hands were miracle workers. “I know, I know sweetheart, you’re doing so well,” he expressed a numerous amount of reassurances. 

Something was packed into one of his sockets, the taste was horrendous but oh, _hello sweet relief_. 

A nurse asked if he was doing okay and he hummed a response of, "uh-huh.” 

His other socket was packed and soon enough the pain was fading away. Incredible what a little bit of medicated gauze could do. 

Steve tore his hands away and reached for his closest hand, being the metal one. Bucky sniffled and squeezed back a silent thanks. 

One by one, the staff cleared out. He heard something about bringing discharge papers for them to sign. Then something else about scheduling another follow up visit with their primary dentist. Once all the staff cleared out, he was still a shaky mess. It's like once he started he couldn’t stop the flow of tears that followed. 

“Come here, baby,” Steve said. He lowered the bedrail on the opposite side and slid in. 

“Steve,” Bucky croaked out. Whoa, his voice sounds awful. 

He’s pulled into Steve’s chest, both arms wrapped protectively around him. Steve rested his chin on his head and started rocking them to and from. A hand smoothed down the length of his flesh arm. 

Best husband ever, he thought. 

“God that felt like the second scariest moment of my life,” Steve mumbled above his head. 

“Mmhm,” Bucky hummed in agreement. 

Steve pulled himself back, tilting Bucky’s head to look him in the eyes. “Hey,” he said. “I’m so proud of you, I couldn’t imagine what that felt like. When this was all over, I”m going to take you someplace where we can relax.” 

Bucky’s eyes lit up. He knew better than to smile right now. Jaw pain was no laughing matter. 

“I love you,” Steve said, kissing the top of his head. 

“Love you, Stevie.” 

Yeah, he deserved something special after everything he’d endured. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never had a dry socket (thANK GOD) but from the stories I've heard they're /hell/  
> Wow, aaand it's done! I can't believe this short little drabble I started four weeks ago turned into an 11k fic! Thank you to everyone who has read this, it means so much to me <3
> 
> As always, my Tumblrs: Metalbvcky & Princesscas

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda based Bucky’s pain by my own experience. Although I got mine out at 19 so they weren’t completely grown in. I also mention a box of Cheez it being stocked in their pantry and that’s literally me, I have an entire box of Cheez-Its just sitting here.
> 
> My Tumblr: Metalbvcky & Princesscas (my main)


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